ROC RINGS IN NEW YEAR WITH CHRIS BOTTIBotti, Tyzik & your RPO on January 11 & 12, 2013

Rochester, NY – World-famous jazz trumpeter Chris Botti joins the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO) and Principal Pops Conductor Jeff Tyzik in Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre on Friday, January 11 and Saturday, January 12, 2013 at 8 p.m. Tickets range from $25-$175, and are available in person at the Eastman Theatre Box Office (433 East Main Street) or at area Wegmans; by phone at (585) 454-2100; or online at rpo.org.

Rochesterians are big Chris Botti fans, flocking to two performances for the Xerox Rochester International Jazz Festival (2002 and 2011) as well as a Lifetime Assistance fundraiser with the RPO in 2008. Botti’s currently in the midst of his annual, three-week residency at The Blue Note in New York City, and the January concerts will be his only Rochester appearance this season.

"I'm really looking forward to returning to the Eastman Theater and performing again with the RPO, along with the brilliant Jeff Tyzik conducting,” says Botti. “Great city, amazing orchestra – what a great way to start off the New Year!"

The world’s best-selling jazz instrumentalist with three #1 albums on Billboard’s Jazz Albums listings, Botti has just added another Grammy nomination (Best Pop Instrumental Album) to his collection for his 2012 Columbia release, Impressions. Playing with his uniquely expressive sound and soaring musical imagination, Botti is joined on the disc by featured artists Andrea Bocelli, Vince Gill, Herbie Hancock, Mark Knopfler and David Foster in a warm, intimate celebration of melodic balladry.

Over the past three decades, Botti has recorded and performed with the best in music, including Sting, Barbra Streisand, Josh Groban, Michael Bublé, Paul Simon, Joni Mitchell, John Mayer, Joshua Bell, Aerosmith's Steven Tyler and Frank Sinatra. Hitting the road for as many as 300 days per year, the trumpeter has also performed with the finest symphonies and at some of the world's most prestigious venues, from Carnegie Hall and the Hollywood Bowl to the Sydney Opera House and the Real Teatro di San Carlo in Italy.

To perform with the RPO, Botti will be bringing his own band, which includes three-time Grammy winner, Billy Childs (piano) as well as Billy Kilson (drums), Leonardo Amuedo (guitar), Richie Goods (bass), Lisa Fischer (vocals) and Arianna Warsaw-Fan (violin).

“Chris Botti is a phenomenal trumpet artist and musician with one of the hottest bands on the planet,” says Tyzik – also a jazz trumpeter and composer – who has worked with Botti several times before. “The RPO will definitely kick off 2013 on a high note!”

Media please note: High-resolution photos of Chris Botti are available for download at docs.google.com/folder. Interviews, as well as photo/footage opportunities, can be arranged.